Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nan Whaley made state history in this week's primary, becoming the first-ever woman to win a major party nomination for governor in Ohio.

Whaley and her running mate, lieutenant governor candidate Cheryl Stephens, beat out opponents John Cranley and Teresa Fedor, garnering 65% of the vote with 326,329 ballots cast in their favor. With just 35% of the vote, Cranley and Fedor saw a total of 175,771 ballots cast in their favor.

“Last night, (Stephens) and I made history as the first women to ever be nominated by a major party for governor of Ohio," Whaley said in a statement. We are so grateful for the outpouring of support today."

Moving forward, Whaley and Stephens said they hope to give Ohio the change it deserves and stray away from the leadership that has been in place for the past few years. 

“Ohio isn’t a red state or blue state – it’s a frustrated state that has been ignored by politicians from both parties for too long,” Whaley told Mount Vernon News. “I’m running for governor because I know that Ohio is ready for a change.”

Among her top priorities, Whaley said she hopes to implement high-quality preschool for every 3- and 4-year-old in the state, something she helped accomplish during her stint as the Dayton mayor. She also plans to defend abortion rights in the state, lower the cost of prescription drugs and implement mask mandates in schools to keep children safe.

“For those of us who have seen our pay stay stagnant while bills go up and who just want their kids to have the same opportunity they had in their same community, here’s what I think: Ohio deserves better,” Whaley said. “For years, we’ve had the same old leadership with the same results. But it doesn’t have to be this way.”

Whaley will face incumbent Republican Gov. Mike DeWine in the gubernatorial election Nov. 8. If she wins, Whaley would become the first Democrat elected to the office since 2006. 

“You deserve a government – and governor – who works for you, not themselves,” Whaley said. “ A governor who is looking forward, not back. That’s the Ohio I want to live in – and I know it’s the Ohio we can create if we come together and demand change.”